Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gallatin, Tennessee 37066
Sunday, September 30, 1990 2:43 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT & PAX HAD RETURNED TO THE HOME FIELD AFTER A LONG WORK DAY THAT BEGAN BEFORE 9 AM. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT FOG HAD COVERED THE NORTH THRESHOLD & THE AREA ADJACENT TO THE RWY FROM THE SW TO THE NE. ANOTHER ACFT WAS ALSO ARRIVING IN THE LANDING PATTERN. THE PILOT MADE 2 ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS TO LAND VISUALLY BECAUSE HE HAD POSITIONED THE ACFT TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY. THE LAST RADAR POSITION OF THE ACFT WAS A LEFT DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 17. THE ACFT IMPACTED EAST OF THE FIELD WHILE IN A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. FOG & LACK OF GROUND LIGHTS TO THE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT WERE REPORTED BY LOCAL WITNESSES. THE PILOT WAS PROBABLY TIRED, & DISTRACTED BY THE ADDITIONAL ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE INADVERTENT DESCENT INTO THE GROUND, AND HIS DIVERTED ATTENTION TO ANOTHER AIRPLANE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE FOG, DARK NIGHT, FATIGUE FROM LACK OF SLEEP, AND A LACK OF RECENT NIGHT LANDINGS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 243
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GALLATIN
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37066
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 584
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2289
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43838
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81099
NTSB Number ATL90FA183
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model AA5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA5B
Aircraft Serial Number AA5B-0429
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 27 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 183
Airframe Hours 3501
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRANS WORLD ARTIST
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2245
Aircraft Owner City HENDERSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37077
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SWANNER, JOHN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ADH
Departure City ADA
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --